-------- Original Message --------
Subject: blackout stories
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 11:29:50 -0400
From: "ahudson" <[log in to unmask]>


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Dear Mapsters,

NYPL is open for business as usual today. Thursday, after the lights,
computers and a.c. went out, we all left for various treks home, and one
of
us did not get home until 10:30, or was that ll:30? Anyway, once we left
the Library building, it was a lot like Sept. 11, [and therefore verrrry
stressful for some folk]  people just calmly, in huge crowds walking
north,
east, south or west, just to get home, hopefully before dark, and before
anything else happened. I made a pit stop at my church at 73d and B'way,
1
1/2 miles from the Library. Met the office manager, and he was headed
uptown anyway, so we walked the 1 1/2 miles uptown to 96th and Columbus
where we saw an open restaurant, with table service outside. The woman
manager, who herself had just walked up from 8th Avenue and 42nd street,
[3
miles] was hauling tables out from inside, and would not let us help
her.
We plunked down and I had the best tasting grilled salmon ever, while
Bruce
had two Coronas and some sort of steak. My two Jack Daniels' [no carbs!]
helped me forget my aching puppies [shoes off!! It's the Southerner in
me].
By now it is 9:30 or so, and pitch black except for car headlights which
seem awfully bright, and candles in windows. The lady at the next table
to
us went across the street to her apartment and brought down her sterling
silver candlesticks and Scrabble game, and they were still playing when
we
gave up and left. There was cheering at some point, and the word floated
around that "New Jersey had lights!"

On the way uptown earlier, while it was still daylight, I saw lots of
people selling and giving away bottled water. Zabars was not giving
anything away, I don't think, but they were on the street, outside their
doors, selling milk and bread!! Many stores, because their electricity
was
out, closed out their cash registers, and were dealing in cash on the
sidewalk, and controlling who could get in the store. One place would
only
let you in to buy if you had a flashlight. We saw icecream bars and
cones
being given away and sold. Busses were running, and they were free, but
can
you spell, sardine can? Packed to the gills. So I kept walking. I got a
big
laugh out of one salon where the Asian ladies were sitting in a
semi-circle
just inside the doors, trying to keep cool, and they had a mountain of
flip-flops on the floor in front of them to sell to the ladies of
fashion
with their 3" spiked heels who were trudging uptown!! I heard on the
news
that Modell's Sporting Goods gave away thousands of pairs of sneakers.
Great p.r. move! When I stopped to buy water at one deli up on Broadway,
the lights were out, the a.c. was out, and the temperature was waaaay
up,
in the 90s inside and out.  One guy wandered in waving a newspaper as a
fan, and cried out in the dark, "OOOOO, it's hot in HERE! I sure never
wanna go to Hell!!!"  We all laughed, it lightened the mood!!

I got home around 10:00, and my friend Bruce gave up and went home. He
was
not just being friendly, and a gentleman, he was also avoiding as long
as
possible his 17-flight walk up to get to his apartment!!

So now it is back to work. Sigh. All is well again in the Big Apple. But
my
feet still hurt!

Alice C. Hudson
Chief, Map Division
The Humanities and Social Sciences Library
The New York Public Library
5th Avenue & 42nd Street, Room 117
New York, NY 10018-2788

[log in to unmask]; 212-930-0589; fax 212-930-0027

http://nypl.org/research/chss/map/map.html

The true meaning of life is to plant trees,
          under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
                                            - Nelson Henderson